Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Hannah Montana. The title is based off of the song 'Something to Talk About' by Bonnie Raitt. I don't own that either.
Oliver was almost asleep. His eyelids were heavy, the room was comfortably warm, and Ms. Kunkles 'prison warden' voice seemed oddly muffled, more like a dull droning than the usual sharp bark. It was just as his eyes closed for the last time that a sharp jab in the side caused him to jump, sending his textbook to the floor with a crash. Ms. Kunkle whipped her head around, "Oken!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Oliver shouted as everyone in the class looked around at him, "Muscle spasm-rare condition-runs in my family-no one knows how to cure it, yeah." Kunkle eyed him for a few more seconds before turning back to the board and continuing with her lecture. Picking up his textbook, Oliver turned to glare at Lilly. "Thank you very much."
Lilly managed to put on a puzzled look, but only just, behind her Miley was laughing into her notes. "For what?" Lilly asked, almost sounding genuinely confused, almost.
Oliver narrowed his eyes, "Don't play dumb, you did that on purpose."
Lilly finally gave up trying to act confused. "Well, it was funny," she said, smiling brightly and her eyes shining.
"Yeah it was," Miley grinned. Lilly spun around in her seat and gave Miley a high-five.
Oliver made a disgruntled noise and turned back around. He would never get to sleep now.
XXXXXX
"You could have gotten me a detention," Oliver said, his voice full of mock anger as he walked down the crowded hall with Miley and Lilly.
"Oh, quit your whining, Oliver," Miley said as she dodged a wad of paper, "You weren't gonna get detention."
"Yeah, you big baby," Lilly chimed in.
"Man, you guys are always ganging up on me. It's no fair," Oliver pouted.
"Aww, poor, poor baby," Lilly patted his arm. Oliver gave her a sour look.
"So what do you guys wanna do tonight?" Miley asked, changing the subject.
"Ooh, ooh, there's another one of those sales down at the beach, like the one where you spent all that money with your new credit card, and then had to try and pay it all off with your Hannah stuff, but then your Dad found out and tricked you into going to the retirement home and-"
Miley clapped her hand over Lilly's mouth, "Yes, thank you, I remember. I don't need a play-by-play of the whole thing."
"Oh, man, you guys aren't gonna drag me on another shopping binge are you?" Oliver whined.
Miley and Lilly looked at each for a moment then back at Oliver, "Aww, poor baby!" they chorused together.
Oliver groaned, "Stop ganging up on me."
XXXXXX
"So, what do you think?" Miley asked, styling a pair of shoes.
"Ooh, so cute," Lilly said, her face set in that peculiar look Oliver had come to associate with the tedium of clothes and shoe shopping. Oliver could not for the life of him see how a pair of shoes could be cute. Puppies were cute sure, kittens were cute, maybe even squirrels if they weren't leaping out of trees at you, but shoes, pants, shirts? Oliver didn't get it, and after the whole handcuff incident, where Miley had drug him off to get his nails done, he was rather glad that he couldn't get it. Oliver shuddered at the recollection of that whole affair, and was brought back to reality by the sound of Miley's voice.
"Well?" Oliver turned to see Miley tapping her foot, feigning impatience.
"Well, what?" Oliver asked.
Miley and Lilly exchanged exasperated looks. Leaning over, Lilly slapped him on the arm, "What do you think of the shoes, you doughnut"?
Oliver gave them both a flat look, "They look nice," he said in a droning, bored voice. Miley made a face at him before turning back to the counter with the other shoes on it.
"You're such a guy. Can't you show any enthusiasm?" Lilly scolded.
It was Oliver's turn to make a face, "You're such girls. Can't we do something that we all enjoy"?
"We could if you'd enjoy shopping. Instead of just sitting there whining about it the whole time," Lilly said, giving Oliver a slight push.
Sighing, Oliver sagged in his seat, arms folded across his chest. "I'm not whining, I just wanna have fun, too," Oliver shifted for a moment, "and I'm hungry."
Lilly's eye softened a bit, "Hey, Miley, why don't you pick out a few more pairs to try on while Oliver and I go find something to eat." Oliver perked up instantly.
"Alright, I'm getting kinda hungry, too," Miley said, "But nothing too substantial, remember you guys are supposed to come over to dinner at my place tonight."
Lilly froze on the spot, "Uuuuhhh-pft-I mean-pft-come on. Like I would forget something like that."
"You already did, didn't you?" Miley asked.
"No! Well, maybe-but just a little bit-It was Oliver's fault!"
"Me!?" Oliver shouted.
"Yes, you," Lilly said, "Now come on or Miley'll be done before we even find any food," and taking Oliver by the wrist, she drug him through crowds. They arrived at Rico's to find Jackson swamped with customers. Taking their place in line, Lilly turned to Oliver, "So, what are you gonna get? Remember not to eat too much."
"Like that could ever happen," Oliver scoffed, "I don't know, maybe a hot dog or something."
"Ooo, ice cream, lets get that!" Lilly exclaimed, pointing at the menu and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Isn't that a dessert, though"?
"So, I like ice cream," Lilly said. At Oliver's continued reluctance Lilly put on a pout, "Please. Pretty please. Pretty, pretty please."
"Oh, all right!" Oliver threw up his hands in exasperation. Lilly squealed and jumped up and down again, her ponytail bouncing behind her, before taking another step forward.
When they finally reached the counter Jackson greeted them with his usual enthusiasm, "Oh, no. What do you guys want?"
"Food, duh. Why else would we be here?" Lilly replied, "We'll take a couple of those ice cream bars," Lilly said, gesturing vaguely at the menu while rooting around for her money, "Uh-oh."
"You spent all of your money on clothes, didn't you?" Oliver asked.
Lilly looked up at him sheepishly, "Yeah. Would you mind-"
"Do I ever?" Oliver asked, paying for both of their Fudgy Buddy's.
Lilly smiled as they walked away from the counter, "Thank you. How many do I owe you for now?"
Oliver shrugged, "Dunno, I lost count when I had to start taking off my shoes."
"Because you passed out from the smell?" Lilly asked around a bite of her Fudgy Buddy.
"No, because I ran out of toes to count-hey!" Oliver shouted. Lilly laughed, spraying her ice cream from her mouth and all over a little girl who happened to be walking by. Lilly and Oliver froze, staring as driblets of ice cream trickled down the little girls face and hair.
"My mom's got a taser!" the little girl yelled and ran off into the crowd. Lilly and Oliver turned to stare at each other, mouths agape.
"There you are!" Miley exclaimed, emerging from the crowd toting several bags, and looking rather harried and winded, "I've been looking everywhere. Hey, where's mine?" she asked spying the Fudgy Buddy's melting in Lilly and Oliver's hands.
The two slowly turned to look at her, both too stunned to speak, "Uuuh."
"There they are, mommy," whipping their heads around, Lilly and Oliver saw a rather fat woman trundling towards them through the crowd, the taser in her hand crackling.
"What in the-" Miley began to say, but was cut off as both Lilly and Oliver each hooked one of their arms under hers and took off running.
"Soccer mom with a taser! Run for your lives!" Lilly screamed, pumping her legs as hard as she could, just trying to stay out of reach of the angry woman barring down on them from behind.
XXXXXX
Miley collapsed onto her couch panting, having already dropped her bags over by the door. Lilly flopped onto the couch beside her, her head sagging onto Miley's shoulder, while Oliver dropped into one of the chairs clutching a painful stitch in his side. It was a long moment before any of them spoke, trying as hard as they could to catch their breath.
Miley was the first to break the silence, "Well, there goes my exercise for the month."
"I thought we were gonna get it for sure this time. Especially when Oliver tripped over the sand castle that little kid was building," Lilly panted.
"Hey! That was not my fault," Oliver said between breaths, "Construction zones are supposed to be clearly marked."
"What was she after you for anyways?" Miley asked, looking between them.
"Lilly, the human sprinkler, blasted that poor little girl in the face with her ice cream," Oliver replied.
Lilly threw a pillow at Oliver, "You're the one who made me laugh."
"So this is my fault?" Oliver shouted, dodging the pillow.
"Yes!" Miley said, grabbing another pillow and throwing it at him. "And I still can't believe you guys forgot to get me an ice cream."
Lilly suddenly sat up straight, pointing at Oliver, "It's his fault."
Miley turned to him, "Oliver, how could you forget like that"?
Oliver threw up his hands again, "I give up."
Lilly leaned forward, patting him on the arm, "Oh, you poor thing. How do you manage"? Oliver rolled his eyes. Grinning, Lilly turned back to Miley, "So, what's you're Dad making for dinner tonight"?
Miley shrugged. Rising from the couch, she walked over to her fridge and opened the door. "Hmm," Miley rummaged around for a few seconds before standing up straight, "I don't know what he's got planned."
A sudden knocking at the front door caused all of them to look around to find Robbie Ray standing outside with his hands full of groceries. Miley rushed over to the door and opened, "Thanks, Bud."
"You're welcome, Daddy. So what did you get us for dinner?" Miley asked, taking one of the bags from his arms and walking it over to the counter, peering inside as she went.
"Well, I hope you're all in the mood for Italian, because I'm gonna whip me up some of my famous world class spaghetti."
"Oh, that sounds so good," Lilly said, jumping up from the couch. Robbie Ray gave her an appreciative nod.
"Funny thing happened as I was coming home, though," he said, beginning to unload the grocery bags, "Some crazy woman is running around out there with a taser. I almost ran her over when I was pulling up the drive way." Miley, Lilly and Oliver all exchanged worried looks before all began talking at once. Robbie Ray held up his hands, silencing them. "On second thought, maybe it would just be best if I didn't know."
"Do you need any help, Mr. Stewart?" Lilly asked, while Oliver walked up to stand behind her.
"Well, thank you, Lilly, but no guest in my house is gonna be doing any work. That's what I had kids for," he said, pulling Miley into a one armed hug.
"Lucky me," Miley droned before Robbie Ray gave her a kiss on head and sent her off to watch television with Lilly and Oliver while he finished making dinner. Jackson wandered in a little after that, looking very high strung and irritable. He eyes kept twitching and he would jump at the slightest of noises. "He reminds me of Aunt Dolly's old Chihuahua," Miley commented, "Always was a fidgety little thing."
"The dog?" Lilly asked.
"No, Jackson." Half an hour later Robbie Ray announced that dinner was ready and they all gathered around the kitchen table. Lilly and Oliver both piled huge mounds of spaghetti onto their plates before beginning to dig in.
"This is so good," came Lilly's muffled voice, spaghetti still hanging from her mouth.
"Yeah," Oliver agreed around an equally full mouth. Jackson also dug into his food with great fervor, while Miley ate with a little more refinement, shooting dirty looks at the others for their poor table manners every so often.
"So, Bud how was your day?" Robbie Ray asked, turning to Miley.
"Alright," she replied only after swallowing her mouth full of spaghetti, trying to demonstrate the proper way to talk while eating for her friends and brothers' benefit, "I got a few new pairs of shoes, and about all the exercise I need for the next month or so running from that taser toting soccer mom."
"So that was you guys!" Jackson exclaimed, bits of spaghetti and pasta sauce flying across the table, "I heard someone talking about it. I knew you had to be part of it somehow."
"Hey, I was totally innocent this time," Miley said, holding up her hands, "Lilly and Oliver were the ones who started it."
Oliver looked up surprised, "Really, you mean it's not just my fault this time"?
"Oh, no, that's right. It was all your fault," Miley corrected herself. Oliver's shoulders slumped.
"You just seem to be nothing but trouble, son," Robbie Ray said. Oliver let out a dejected sigh, and Lilly patted him on the shoulder, before both began digging into their food again. "By the way, bud, I got some great news for you. Got a call today, and it turns out Hannah's won another Silver Booty."
Miley let out a high-pitched squeal and turned to Lilly as they began 'Happy Dancing' in their chairs. Oliver and Jackson turned to look at each before beginning to 'Happy Dancing' too. Miley and Lilly stopped to glare at them, "Ha ha, very funny," Miley deadpanned.
"Besides, you're doing it wrong," Lilly chided.
"Like I care," Jackson replied.
With one last glare, Miley turned back to her father, "So when is the awards show," she asked, her excitement returning full bore.
"Next Saturday, and get this. Mikayla's the one whose got to present it to you," Robbie Ray finished, nudging Miley with his elbow.
"You're kidding," Miley gasped.
"Oh, she's gonna hate you for that," Lilly said.
"Mikayla…Mikayla…," Jackson muttered thoughtfully, "Hey isn't that the name of the girl you tricked Roxy into taking you to Florida to beat at that concert, and Dad and I had to sneak onto the plane and-"
"Yes, that's her," Miley said, cutting across him, "Thank you."
"So, is Lola invited?" Lilly asked, smiling prettily.
"Of course," Miley relied. Oliver cleared his throat, to which Miley rolled her eyes, "And Mike Standley III is invited, too." Oliver pumped his fist in the air, and Lilly rolled her eyes as well.
"Oh, we gotta start picking out your outfit," Lilly said.
"The concert is a week away," Oliver said.
"Yeah, what's your point," Miley replied, rising from her seat and taking her dishes over to the sink.
"Never mind," Oliver muttered, rising from his seat to take Lilly and his' dishes to the sink as well. Once the dishes were done, Miley, Lilly, and Oliver settled in front of the television to watch a movie. It was only once the movie was over that they realized how late it had gotten.
"That's alright," Miley smiled, "you guys can spend the night or something."
"Ooh, that would be fun," Lilly gushed excitedly.
"I can't," Oliver said, "I have a dentist's appointment early tomorrow morning."
"Aww, that's no fair," Lilly pouted.
"You guys can still hang out, though, and I'll meet up with you guys as soon as my appointments over."
"Oh, alright," Lilly said, sagging into the couch. Oliver rose from his seat to call his mother to come pick him up, and Lilly suddenly missed his warmth.
Miley wrapped a reassuring arm around Lilly's shoulders, "Well at least we'll be able to work on our outfits for the awards show with out boring Oliver stupid."
"Yeah, I guess so," Lilly replied.
The three friends stood around talking while they waited for Oliver's mom to arrive. The loud honking of a horn from the drive told them that she had arrived and saying a few quick goodbyes, Oliver stepped out the front door. Lilly watched him from the front door as he walked down the walkway to the driveway. Oliver turned and waved one last time before he disappeared from view, and Lilly couldn't quite explain the sense of melancholy that seemed to have settled over her. Turning around, Lilly walked over to where Miley was waiting at the foot of the stairs, dragging her feet a little as she came.
"You alright?" Miley asked, concerned.
"I think so," Lilly replied, "Just a little sad all of the sudden."
Miley gave her a sympathetic look, and taking Lilly by the hand, said, "Well, come on. Maybe spending a little time picking through the Hannah Closet will cheer you up. Plus we still have the new clothes we bought today."
"Yeah, all right," Lilly responded as she allowed Miley to lead her up the stairs.
